CBD’s applications may even seem endless, from its ability to relieve people from chronic pain to its power in helping with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. And if that wasn’t enough, it has even been proved to slow down the growth of tumorous cancer cells.
However, if you’re new to the hype, you may be curious about how to maximise the benefits of this cannabinoid. From knowing which dosage to take to which type of product to use, getting the most out of your CBD really boils down to its bioavailability. But what exactly is bioavailability, and is it affected by which product you consume? In this article, we’ll be answering all of these questions to help you get the most out of cannabidiol possible.
What is Bioavailability?
First of all, what does bioavailability actually mean? To put it simply, bioavailability is the proportion of any particular drug or other substance that enters your system and takes effect. More formally referred to as pharmacokinetics, it measures your body’s ability to soak up or eliminate any substance, as well as how the properties of the substance and external factors influence this absorption.
Every way that we are able to ingest something, from taking a pill to rubbing something into your skin, sends the substance through alternative passages around your body, and thus it reaches your bloodstream in different ways and at different times. This means that the bioavailability of a substance affects its levels of potency of it in your body.
Bioavailability of CBD
Bioavailability is critical when it comes to the use of CBD because its rate affects to what extent the substance will be absorbed by the endocannabinoid system, and thus it determines the amount of effect it will have on the body. Each type of cannabinoid containing product will, therefore, elicit different responses within a person’s physiology. Some methods of delivery will send the CBD to your endocannabinoid system faster than others, and some will barely reach it at all.
Alongside the impacts of different methods of ingestion, the presence of supplementing foods and herbs and the wider circumstances of an individual’s health can also influence the bioavailability of CBD. And it is definitely important to be aware of all of these influences, so you are able to reap the maximum benefits of your CBD products. But first of all, we will be giving you a rundown of the most popular ways to take CBD and addressing the factors that lead to their varying rates of bioavailability.
Methods of ingesting CBD
From humble capsules to cannabidiol infused cupcakes, there is seemingly a never-ending list of how to take CBD oil. However, due to the varied way the extract travels around our body, each product delivers a slightly different amount of CBD into the bloodstream.
To help you understand this in greater detail, next, we outline the most popular methods out there and reveal how much CBD they actually deliver into your system.
The sublingual method
Underneath the tongue lies a vein called the sublingual gland. If you drop or spray CBD into this gland, it will get absorbed by the thin mucous membranes in this gland, and it will be able to be absorbed straight into the bloodstream instead of taking a more convoluted path down the digestive tract. By avoiding the digestive tract and bypassing the organs like the liver, it is delivered into the cannabinoid system in around 15-20 minutes, which is much quicker than other methods.
When it comes to bioavailability, the rate of this method ranges from about 12%-35%. This varies on the quality and strength of the CBD product, as well as how long it is kept under the tongue or in the nasal passages. Compared to most forms of administration, this is a reasonably high rate of bioavailability. This is the main reason why sublingual oils and tinctures are some of the most popular CBD products out there.
The oral method
The oral method simply refers to consuming CBD through your mouth. This could include swallowing a capsule, eating a CBD infused edible or drinking a cannabinoid laced beverage. However, unlike the sublingual method, oral consumption requires the substance to be swallowed and sent down the digestive tract rather than being absorbed through the sublingual gland.
If you choose to either infuse an edible or drinkable with CBD or hemp oil or buy a product that already contains the compound, the CBD will be metabolised through your digestive system, which unfortunately puts much of it at risk of being eliminated. Due to this, the bioavailability rate of oral products tends to range from 13-19%, with this percentage depending on what food and drink the CBD is infused in, whether the CBD is water-soluble, and whether it’s accompanied by fats.
The inhalation method
Otherwise known as vaporising, vaping has become an increasingly mainstream way to consume CBD. When you inhale the CBD through this method, it is taken directly into the lungs and is absorbed by the alveoli membranes that line the organ. It is directly absorbed into the bloodstream as it bypasses the digestive and metabolic system, meaning the cannabinoids survive in much higher quantities than if they were taken through the oral method. It is easy to shop online through a reputable CBD Vape UK retailer.
Because of its direct journey into the bloodstream, it has a much higher bioavailability rate of between 34-46%, with some cases even reporting it reaching as high as 56%. For this reason, is it a more efficient method than many others. However, due to the high-temperature CBD oil is vaporised at, many other valuable cannabinoids from full-spectrum products are likely to be burnt off in the process.
The topical method
Otherwise referred to as a transdermal application, topicals refer to the broad spectrum of ointments, creams and salves that can be rubbed into the skin. This method of CBD delivery is able to administer more focused pain relief to targeted areas and is a more discreet option for those who are new to cannabinoid products.
Unfortunately, the bioavailability rate of topical creams and ointments has not yet been quantified. However, due to the transdermal process of its application, it has a much lower rate than other internalised methods of delivery. That being said, it anecdotally has been reported to provide effective pain relief to specific areas because of the way that it is picked up by the periphery system.
If you’re serious about maximising your CBD experience, you should be mindful of the way your use cannabidiol. By buying products with more impressive bioavailability rates, you can obtain greater mental and physical benefits, save money and save time. However, while bioavailability is important, it is not the be-all and end-all. So depending on why you choose to take CBD, it’s necessary to research which product has been uniquely designed to suit your needs.
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